Refrigerator



Dec. 31, 1935. M. H. LOUGHRIDGE REFRIGERATOR v Filed Dec. 26, 1929 s Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 31, 1935. LOUGHRIDGE 2,025,760

REFRIGERATOR Filed Dec. 26', 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I -l CD INVENTOR 1935- M. H. LOUGHRIDGE 2,025,766

REFRIGERATOR Filed Dec. 26, 1929 s Sheets-Sheet s in which; Fig. 1 is a diagram of the motor, compressor Patented Dec. 31, 1935 REFRIGERATOR Matthew H. Loughrldge, Bogota, N. J; Application December 26, 1929, Serial No. 416,33

31 Claims.

This invention relates to refrigerators and particularly to the small, self-contained refrigerator unit that is used in restaurants, homes and offices and has for an object to provide an automatic control for the refrigerator by a pair of thermostats set to operate at difierent temperatures with electrically controlled means for selecting the operation by said thermostats; another object is to provide a pair of ventilators for an enclosure for. the evaporator which regulates the draft around the evaporator, and another object is to locate the thermostats with reference to the evaporator so that they are subject to difierent temperatures in the operation of the system. A practical application of "the invention resides in an evaporator designed to make ice cubes in a system normally controlled by one thermostat, but which may be changed over, by the operation of a push button, to the control by a second thermostat, set to operate at a lower temperature, and thus intensify the operation of the system when ice cubes are ,iwa'nted. Other objects of the inven tion will appear from the following specification, in connection with the accompanying drawings,

and evaporator with connections;

Fig. 2 is a diagram of the electrical connections for the' control system;

Fig. 3 is a view of the inside of a refrigerator,

showing the ventilated enclosure for the evaporator;

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of a cylindrical form of evaporator, and float valve that may be used with this invention;

,Fig. 5 is a detail of a form of ventilator that is used in connection with the evaporator;

Fig. 6 is anend view of the evaporator from the rear showing the float valve associated there with in section; a

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional elevationof the evaporator on line- Iii-l9, Fig. 4. The present invention'is shown applied to small refrigerator units such as are used in household refrigerators and in electric water coolers and 1 ings to show myinventioncomplises the usual highv side having an .eleetrlcmotor', belt connected to a rotary'form of compressor, with connections passing througha condenser, cooled by a fan driven by the motor, and leading to the evaporator, or flow side. The evaporator, as

PATENT OFFlCE shown, is a. hollow cylindrical, sheet metal shell with a float valve at one end and a 'drawer at the other end passing into the interior of the cylinder and in which water may be frozen into ice cubes. One of the fcontrollingthermostats is placed in 5 the cylinder with the ice cube drawer and the other'is placed outside the cylinder.

A receptacle is provided in connection with the float valve for the thermostat controlling the operation of' the motor. enables the ther- 1 mostat to. be placed in the most effective position.

The system herein disclosed is arranged to'provide refrigeration with different degrees of'intensity and is so controlled that it may be changed 5 over from operating under one system of control to the, other until a pre-determined degree of refrigeration has been, reached when the system automatically changes back again to its, former condition. f

. The system is regulated by the use of a pair of thermostats, one of whichis'arrang'ed to control the system under. normal operation and the other is arrangedto control the system under accelerated operation. A change-over'relay is prov vided for changing over the control of the motor from one ofthes'e thermostats to the other. In

practice, the operation of a push button energizes this relay and securesaccelerated, operation un-' til the circuit isinterru'pted by the thermostat,30 thereafter the relay is deenergized and the system continues'to operate at a normal rate until the push buttonis again operated. l.

The cooling efl ect' may be" concentrated in the evaporator to speedup the freezing of the ice cubes by'enclosing thev evaporator in the cooling chamber and regulating the draft by adjustable regulators to which the evaporator is exposed. Shutting off the draft will accelerate the freezing.

in the drawings, II is the electric motor upon the shaft of which'the fan 12 ismounted to direct an air current through the condenser IS.

The compressor I1 is driven by the motor II through the, driving pulley' 3l, belt 32 'and pulley 33, .n'iounted on; shaft 3 5o f the f compressor. TA 5 condenser I5 and from the conden'ser through pipe 39 and by pipe 4I 'connectsto the evaporator atone end and is flangedinwardly at the opposite end and the outer .tube I02 is flanged outwardly at I04 to engage the flange I03 of the inner tube and is flanged inwardly at the opposite end. These flanges are brought into abutting relation as shown, and the outer flange I03 is turned over at the edge I05 to make a seating for the flange I04. This, holds the tubing in alignment and facilitates the operation of welding. The inner tube is preferably provided with a pair of diametrically opposed inwardly projecting ridges I06 which give rigidity to the tubing and provide a slide for the drawer I01 which has corresponding ridges I08 to engage the ridges I06. This drawer is provided with an end I09 to which theend plate I I is secured with the handle I I I. For ventilating purposes the slide H3 is provided in the end plate I I0 and operated by the knob I I2 whereby the ventilating apertures H4 may be opened or closed as desired.

In the particular systemused to illustrate this invention a float valve is used for regulating a discharge of gas to the evaporator. The float valveis mounted on the end plate MM and comprises the tank I I5 with the float II6 connected through lever 'I I1 with the valve I I8 Fig. 6, leading to the thermostat chamber H9 and bythe nipple I22 to the evaporator chamber 0. The refrigerant delivered to pipe 4I under pressure from the condenser I5 is delivered to the tank I I5 and through the float valve and chamber II9 to the evaporator o and from the evaporator through the header connection I23 placed on top of 'the cylinder to pipe 42 and back to the intake side of the compressor. The float valve is provided with an outlet at I20a for testing purposes.

The thermostat chamber H9 is provided with an openended tube I20 for receiving the stem I2I of the thermostat as shown. This places the thermostat in the position to be influenced at the point of expansion of the refrigerant through valve 8; the chamber H9 it will be noted is a continuation of chamber'o. A second thermostat is provided at I25, held in place by the cleat I26 below the drawer I01 against the inside of the evaporator.\ Normally the thermostat I2I controls the operation of the system but if it should be desired to accelerate the extent of the refrigeration, such as in making ice cubes or cooling food stuffs placed in the drawer I01 and having considerable latent heat, the system can be changed over from being controlled by thermostat I2I 'to be controlled by thermostat I25. It should be noted that-variations in the operation of the machine can be obtained by thermostats adjusted to operate under different temperature conditions and located in any convenient position in the cooling chamber. It is also possible to accelerate or retard the extent of the refrigeration by regulating the ventilation of the evaporator as indicated in' Fig. 3, in which 91 is the cooling chamber, 98 is the evaporator and 99 is an enclosure or baflle plate I01:-

2,oao,vco I the evaporator. This baille plate is provided with ventilators at the top and bottom I I3 similar to Fig. 5 by which the draft to the evaporator can be retarded when it is desired to cool articles placed within the evaporator rapidly. One, or 5 both of the thermostats may be enclosed with' the evaporator by 99.

One arrangement for operating the system described is shown in Fig. 2 and includes a means" I I whereby theoperation of the system maybe tem- 10' porarily accelerated by the operation of a push button.

This comprises a control relay I5I operated by the push button I52 through wire I53, battery I54 and wire I55. When the push button is closed the relay is energized and a stick circuit is thereby established through wire I 56, contact I51 in the energized position, wire I58, thermostat I25 and wire I59 to batteryl54, thus relay I5I will remain energized until the circuit is interrupted by the thermostat I25.- when the control relay I5I is energized the circuit of motor II is established through wire I6I, contact I60, wire I58, thermostat I25, wire I59, battery I54 and wire I62 to motor II. This places the motor ,under the control of thermostat I25.

As soon as the temperature has been lowered to cause thermostat I25 to open its circuitfthe relay I5I is thereby deenergized and it cannot again be energized until the push button I52 is so operated. In the deenergized position of relay I5I the motor II is controlled by a circuit including wire I6I, contact I60 in the deenergized position, wire I66, resistance I69, thermostat I2I, wire I10, wire I59, battery I54, and wire I62 to the motor II.

The system herein described may be applied and operated, as shown, or its component parts may be separately used in-other systems of refrigeration which is the intent and purpose of 40 the invention. N

This is the normal conditionof the system and places the motor I I under the control of thermostat I2I and the resistance I69 so that the speed of the motor maybe decreased below the speed obtained when controlledby thermostat I25. By this arrangement it will be noted that the mechanism can be initiated for a predetermined degree of refrigeration and when this refrigeration has been reached the system is automatically changed over to operate under normal conditions. The present invention includes a system with one evaporator in a cooling chamber through which a refrigerant is circulated, a pair of thermostats operative at different temperatures selectively controlling, one at a time, theflow of the refrigerant so that the chamber is cooled under "the control of one thermostat to a greater de- .as a short circuit, that might arise in one of the thermostats cannot influence the system when operating under the other thermostat. The change over between the high and low operating thermostats is obtained electrically, by an electric relay which selectively controls the circuits so as to bring one or other of the thermostats into control and to disconnect the nonaoamoo controlling thermostat from the system. This relay is remotely controlled by a push'button which may be placed in any convenient location, inside or outside the cooling chamber. The energy necessary to operate the relay and change over the system is very small and is easily controlled.

The relay'which selectively controls the circuit of the thermostats may also be located outside the cooling chamber and remote therefrom as its operation is entirely electric and it does not have to be connected in anyway with the circulating system. This relay is known'as astick relay because it controls its own circuit at I51 so that once it is energized by the pick-up circuit, through the "push button and the push button is released to open the pick-up circuit, the holding circuit through I5! is established until interrupted by the thermostat I25. When the-holding circuit is thus interrupted, the relay is deenergized and it cannot again be energized by 125 until it is first energized by the push button in the pick-up circuit. This provides a simple and comparatively inexpensive method of controlling the system by' different temperatures in the cooling chamber, subject to manual selection.

It should be noted that as shown in Fig. 5, the evaporator is a hollow container provided with a closure and that a controlling thermostat is located in this container and the second controlling thermostat is located outside the container. A much lower temperature is usually obtained inside the evaporator than prevails outside the evaporator. This difference in temperatureimay be used to obtain a difference in control where the thermostats operate at substantially the same temperature.

The mechanism described operates with a refrigerant comprising a mixture of ethyl chloride and. oil and the apparatus is shown constructed with particular reference to the use of this refrigerant; it should be understood, however, that.

when a different refrigerant is used the apparatus may be varied'to suit these different conditions without departing from the intent and spirit of thepresent invention which is intended to include a fullrange of equivalents in-the refrigeration ndustry.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A refrigerating system comprising a 'com pressor, a motor operatively connected with said compressor, a condenser and an evaporator connected in a circulating system with said-compressor and a pair of thermostats associated with said evaporator and means for connecting either of said thermostats and disconnecting the other at a time for controlling the circuit of said motor under different temperature conditions.

2. A refrigerating system comprising a compressor, a motor operatively connected with said compressor, a condenser and an evaporator connected in acirculating system with said compressor, a pair of thermostats associated with said evaporator and operative at different times and an electrically operated device for selectively means for changing the system to control the motor by the other'thermostat. v 4. A refrigerating system comprising a compressor, a motor operatively connected with said. compressor, a condenser and an evaporator con-. 5 nected in a circulating system withsald compressor, means controlling said-motor, to operate said system at a normal rate and electrically operated means manually initiated for accelerating the operating of said system until a predeterminedcondition is reached and for automatically resuming normal operation when this predetermined condition is-reached. r

5. A refrigerating system comprising -a compressor, a motor operatively connected with said '15 compressor, a condenser and an evaporator connected in a circulating system with said compressor, a thermostat controlling said motor to operate said system at a normal rate and a second thermostat controlling the circuit of said motor 20 until a predetermined condition is reached the circuit controlled by the second thermostat containing means for accelerating the speed of the motor. I

6. In a refrigerator, the combination of a com- 25 pressor, a motor for operating said compressor,- an evaporator, means connecting said compressor wlths'aid evaporator for the circulation of a re-- frigerant medium therein, a thermostat con trolling said motor, a drawer in said evaporator 30 and a receptacle for said thermostat between said drawer and said evaporator.

7. In a refrigeratorjthe combination of' a compressor unit, a motor operatively connected with said compressor, an evaporator, means connecting 85 said compressor with said evaporator for the circulation of a refrigerating medium therein, said evaporator comprising a hollowopen ended vessel, a removable end plate fitted to said open end supported by said end plate. 8. In a refrigerator, the combination of a compressor, a motor for operating said compressor,an evaporator, means connecting said compressor with said evaporator for the circulation of a refrigerant therein, a thermostat located within said evaporator and .a second thermostat located outside said evaporator, said thermostats-controlling sad motor. i

9. In a refrigerator, the combination of a com- 50 pressor, a motor for operating said compressor, an evaporator, meansconnecting said compressor with said evaporator for the circulation of a refrigerant therein, a tube extending into said evaporator, a thermostat located in said tube 55 and means for controllingsaid motor by said thermostat. i

10. A refrigerator system comprising a compressor, a motor operatively connected with said compressor, a condenser and an evaporator connected in a circulating system with said compressor, a pair of thermostats operating at different temperatures; a stick relay selectively controlling said motor by said thermostats and a circuit for said stick relay controlled by one of said thermostats.

11. A refrigerator system comprising a comanda control valve for'the refrigerating medium, 40

- pressor, a motor operatively connected with said compressor, a condenser and an evaporator connected in a circulating system with said compres- 7 sor, a pair of thermostats operating at diiferent temperatures, means for setting said system for control solely by either of-said thermostats at a time and means for automatically changing the system for control.

12. A refrigerator system comprising a compressor, a motor operatively connected with said compressor, a condenser and an evaporator connected in a circulating system with said compressor, between the thermostats an electrically operated device for setting said system for operating under a predetermined temperature control and for automatically removing said predetermined temperature control and changing the system for another condition of control.

13. A refrigerator system comprising a compressor, a motor operatively connected with said compressor, a condenser and an evaporator connected in a circulating system with said compressor, a cooling chamber for said evaporator, means responsive to different temperatures in said cooling chamber controlling said motor and electrically operated means manually set for changing the temperature of said control.

14. A refrigerator system comprising a compressor, a motor operatively connected with said compressor, a condenser and an evaporator connected in a circulating system with said compressor, thermostatic means including an electrically controlled relay for controlling the circuit of said motor and a push button controlling the circuit of said relay for varying said thermostatic means to control said motor at different temperatures.

15. A refrigerator system comprising a compressor, a motor operatively connected with said compressor, a condenser and anevaporator connected in a circulating system with said compressor, thermostatic means for controlling the circuit of said motor and an electrically operated relay for varying said thermostatic meansto control said motor at different temperatures.

16. A refrigerator system comprising a compressor, a motor operatively. connected with said compressor, a condenser and an evaporator connected in a circulating system with said compressor, thermostatic means controlling said motor, a relay, an electric circuit controlling said relay associated with said thermostatic means, said relay in one position controlling said means to control said motor at one temperature and in another position controlling said means to control said motor at another temperature and a manually operated switch controlling said electric circuit.

17. A refrigerator system comprising an evaporator, means for circulating a refrigerant in said evaporator, a. pair of thermostats controlling said means, an electrically operated relay selectively making one onlyof said thermostats effective at a time, a cooling chamber with an enclosure for said evaporator and an adjustable ventilator for said enclosure.

18. A refrigerator system comprising an evaporator, means for circulating a refrigerant in said evaporator, a thermostat controlling said means, a cooling chamber with an enclosure for said evaporator and a plurality of spaced adjust able ventilators, said ventilators located at right angles to each other in the walls of said enclosure.

19. Refrigerating apparatus comprising in combination, a single cooling unit, means for circulating a refrigerating medium thru said unit,

means for automatically controlling the circulating means to maintain, normally, a predetermined mean temperature of the cooling unit, means for controlling the circulating means to maintain a different temperature of the cooling unit, said controlling means including an electrically operated device selectively operated by the temperature of the cooling unit to discontinue the mean temperature control and to establish control by said different temperature.

20. Refrigerating apparatus comprising in 5 combination, a cooling unit, electrically operated means for circulating a refrigerating medium thru said unit, means for automatically controlling the circuit of said circulating 'means to maintain, normally, a predetermined mean tem- 10 perature of the cooling unit, an electrically operated device, manually set for controlling the circuitof said circulating means for a different temperature of the cooling unit and means for automatically controlling the circuit of said electric 15 control means for restoring said controlling means for normal operation.

21. Refrigerating apparatus comprising in combination, a cooling unit, means for circulating a refrigerating medium thru said unit, means 20 for automatically controlling the circulating means to maintain, normally, a predetermined mean temperature of the cooling unit, an electrically operated device, manually set, for controlling the circulating means for a different tem- 25 perature of the cooling unit and means controlling the circuit of said electrically controlled means for automatically restoring the controlling means for normal operation.

22. Refrigerating apparatus comprising in combination, a cooling unit, means for circulating a refrigerating medium thru said unit means for automatically controlling the circulating means to maintain, normally, a predetermined mean temperature of the cooling unit, an electrically operated device for controlling the circulating system to effect a lower temperature than said predetermined mean temperature and means controlling the circuit of said electrical control means for restoring said controlling 40 means for normal operation automatically, after said lower temperature has been reached.

23. Refrigerating apparatus comprising in combination, a cooling unit, means for circulating a refrigerating medium thru said unit, con- 45 trolling means controlling said circulating means, efl'ective. at a plurality of different temperatures, an electrically operated device for changing over said controllingmeans to make one of said temperature controls only effective at a time and 50 means for automatically operating said change over device.

'24. Refrigerating apparatus comprising in combination, a cooling unit, means for circulating a refrigerating medium thru said unit, controlling means controlling said circulating means, effective at a plurality of different temperatures, an electrically operated relay for selectively changing oversaid controlling means between said temperatures and means automatically controlling said relay by said controlling means.

25. Refrigerating apparatus comprising in combination, a cooling unit, means for circulating a refrigerating medium thru said unit. a plurality of thermostats, each effective atdiflcerent temperatures, controlling said circulating means and an electrically operated device for automatically changing over. the control from one of saidthermostats to the other thermostat.

26. Refrigerating apparatus comprising in combination, a cooling unit, means for circulating a refrigerating medium thru said unit, a plurality only by one of said thermostats and an electrically operated device for changing said control to an other thermostat.

27. Refrigerating apparatus comprising in combination, a cooling unit, means for circulating a refrigerating medium thru said unit, a plurality of. thermostats, each effective at different temperatures, controlling said circulating means, a relay sele'ctively making-effective one only of said thermostats at a time, the circuit of said relay being controlled by one of said thermostats.

28. A refrigerator system comprising an evaporator, means for circulating a refrigerant in said evaporator, a thermostat controlling said system and a chamber with a nozzle for expanding said refrigerant before entering said evaporator, said thermostat being operatively connected with said chamber.

29. In a refrigerator, an evaporator, means for circulating a refrigerant in said evaporator, and a plurality of thermostatic means controlling said circulating means, one of said thermostatic means being located within said evaporator and the other located outside said evaporator.

30. A refrigerator system comprising an evaporator, means for circulating a refrigerant in said evaporator, a thermostat controlling said means, a cooling chamber, an enclosure in said cooling chamber for said evaporator and said thermostat, a pair of ventilators located one above the other in the walls of said enclosure and means for adjusting the opening of one of' said ventilators.

31. A refrigerator system comprising an evaporator, means for circulating a refrigerant in said evaporator,'a thermostat responsive to heat controlling said means, a cooling chamber, an enclosure in said cooling chamber for said thermostat, a pair of ventilators located one above the other in the walls of said enclosure and means for MATTHEW H. LOUGHRIDGE. 

